Alea Johnson P 5-9 R-R Fr.-HS Fairhope, Ala. (Fairhope HS

For Yvette Girouard and the LSU softball program, the second run to the Women’s College World Series was filled with as much joy, drama and excitement as the original.

Like in 2001, the Tigers accomplished the SEC triple crown and claimed the SEC Western Division, Regular Season and Tournament championships.

LSU also won a heart-stopping 13-inning affair and nearly pulled off an impossible feat at the WCWS.

After starting the 2004 campaign with a 5-3 record, the Tigers strung together a 17-game winning streak. LSU continued its climb up the polls sparked by a three-game sweep at No. 7 Alabama to end March and checked in with a No. 2 ranking heading into postseason play.

A trio of wins over Alabama, Auburn and Georgia, all ranked among the Top 15, allowed the Tigers to win their third SEC Tournament in five years.

Unlike 2001, LSU’s quest to Oklahoma City didn’t start inside the friendly confines of Tiger Park. Instead, the Tigers were shipped to Waco, Texas and Baylor University for the NCAA Regionals.

After wins over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Seton Hall, LSU found itself down 3-0 to Baylor after two innings. Camille Harris kickstarted a three-run third inning with a solo home run to left field. Three batters later, future All-American Leslie Klein belted a two-run triple down the right field line to even the score at 3-3.

The Tigers exploded for a quartet of runs in the 10th inning. Stephanie Hill and Lauren Delahoussaye provided RBIs coupled with a Baylor error and wild pitch.

The next day against Illinois, Julie Wiese jumpstarted LSU with a solo shot in the second inning followed by RBI hits from Delahoussaye in the third and fifth innings.

That would be more than enough run support for two-time All-American Kristin Schmidt. She was touched up for only an unearned run on three hits to go along with nine strikeouts as the Tigers raced past the Fighting Illini 4-1 to return to the WCWS.

Another Big 10 team, No. 6 Michigan, would bite the dust in LSU’s opening game in Oklahoma City. After 11 scoreless frames, the Wolverines took a 2-0 advantage to open the 12th inning. In the home half, the Tigers used an RBIsingle by Leigh Ann Danos and a passed ball to knot the score at 2-2.

LSU won the game in the 13th on a Harris infield single. After two throwing errors, Sara Fitzgerald crossed home for the game-winning run. In the circle, Schmidt fired all 13 innings and tallied 13 strikeouts.

Following a 2-0 setback to No. 2 UCLA, rain altered the WCWS schedule. The Tigers were faced with the task of winning three games in one day to advance to the championship game.

A Fitzgerald RBI-single in the fourth inning proved to be the game winner as LSU edged No. 4 Florida State 2-1 to start the day. Schmidt provided another 13 strikeouts and surrendered only one run on four hits.

The Tigers fought off elimination for a second time and erased an early 1-0 deficit against No. 5 California. Klein opened the second inning with a solo home run, Harris followed with a two-out, two-run double in the third and Delahoussaye tacked on an insurance run with an RBI-double during the sixth.

Schmidt added eight strikeouts and pitched around trouble to close out the 4-1 victory for her third win of the WCWS.

LSU was poised to finish out the hat trick and carried a 1-0 lead into the fifth inning. Seven outs away, the Golden Bears struck for a quartet of runs to take the win.

“What more could you ask for from your team,” Girouard said after the game. “I told the team before we got off the bus this morning that we weren’t leaving the park until they turned out the lights on us tonight and we are doing just that. Unfortunately, we came up just a little short.

“This team did everything my staff asked of them. They played with total heart. Kristin Schmidt pitched her heart out and this team never died. If I have ever coached a team that deserved to go to the national championship game, then it is certainly this group of girls.” GAME 1 • LSU 3, MICHIGAN 2 (13 INNINGS)

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Michigan 020 002 000 002 0 - 2 6 4 LSU 001 013 000 002 1 - 3 10 3 WP - Schmidt (36-5). LP - Ritter (24-8). Save - None. T – 3:27. A - 4,453. E - UM: Merchant; Leutele; Betley; Motycka; LSU: Wiese (10); Delahoussaye 2 (25). DP - LSU 1. LOB - UM 6; LSU 13. 3B - UM: Merchant. HR - UM: Leutele. HBP - UM: Merchant; Betley. SH - UM: Doe; Leutele; Miliam; LSU: Castle (5); Hill (5). SB - LSU: Klein (13); Harris (22). CS - UM: Merchant; Betley. Umpires - HP: Willie Newman; 1B: Smokey Edds; 3B: Susie Benzel.

GAME 2 • UCLA 2, LSU 0

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UCLA 200 000 0 - 2 7 0 LSU 000 000 0 - 0 4 2 WP - Goerl (29-7). LP - Schmidt (36-6). Save - None. T - 2:33. A - 6,472. E - LSU: Fitzgerald 2 (11). LOB - UCLA 8; LSU 5. 2B - LSU: Hughes (5). SH - UCLA: Duran; Zaplatosch. SB - UCLA: Simpson; LSU: Harris (23). Umpires - HP: Susie Benzel; 1B: Linda Hoover; 3B: Tom Topping.

GAME 3 • LSU 2, FLORIDA STATE 1

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LSU 100 100 0 - 2 9 0 FSU 100 000 0 - 1 4 3 WP - Schmidt (37-6). LP - Hunter (33-4). Save - None. T - 2:31. A - 6,432. E - FSU: van der Lind; George; Hoffer. DP - FSU 1. LOB - LSU 10; FSU 5. 2B - LSU: Hughes (6); Hill (6); FSU: van der Lind. HR - FSU: Wootson. HBP - LSU : Danos. SH - LSU: Hill (6). SB - LSU: Harris (24); Klein (14). Umpires - HP: Linda Hoover; 1B: Michael Mazur; 3B: Willie Newman.

GAME 4 • LSU 4, CALIFORNIA 1

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LSU 012 001 0 - 4 7 0 CAL 100 000 0 - 1 7 1 WP - Schmidt (38-6). LP - Thorson (28-4). Save - None. T - 2:13. A - 5,276 E - LSU: Delahoussaye (26); Cal: Spencer. DP - LSU 1. LOB - LSU 4, Cal 7. 2B - LSU: Harris (6); Delahoussaye (12). HR - LSU: Klein (14). SH - Cal: Spencer. Umpires - HP: Susie Benzel; 1B: Willie Newman; 3B: Tom Topping.

GAME 5 • CALIFORNIA 4, LSU 1

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CAL 000 040 0 - 4 12 1 LSU 010 000 0 - 1 4 1 WP - Anderson (25-8). LP - Schmidt (38-7). Save - None. T - 2:13. A - 5,276 E - Cal: Galindo; LSU: Danos (6). DP - Cal 1; LSU 1. LOB - Cal 11; LSU 5. 2B - LSU: Fitzgerald (14). SH - Cal: Bayless; LSU: Hughes (7); Delahoussaye (3). Umpires - HP: Smokey Edds; 1B: Michael Mazur; 3B: Tom Topping.